Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-04
DAILY HERALD.
CRIMINAL LIBEL.
Major Horace Bell Files
Two Complaints.
HE GOES AFTER GORE.
G.. Wiley Wells, A. NJ. Thornton
and B. A. Stephens to DO
Arrested.

Major Horace Bell. of this city, is editor
cf the Porcupise. and member OF the
Bar and his name is not unfamiliar 10
The residents of Los Angeles. Inc
Major is nothing il not warrior, and
khs days he spends without battle on
his hands are few and far between. he
liahts on the street, in his office and In
court, Ifhe was not being harsssed by
somebody the doughty Major would be
positively unhappy. The Major has
been here for period dating away back
Of the time when the adjacent forests
became ignited and were destroyed by
Dire. During that time he has succeeded
by steadfast perseverance In gathering
sround him host of enemies who camp
upon his trail continually and there is
always o fight kept up all along the
line. The battle will lull for a time
end the white.winged Angel of Peace
wiIl show the tip OF her wing, but the
strife breaks out afresh and the divine
angel covers her lovely face and weeping
sAiea away. Bell and his paper were
thoroughly against Baldwin in the case
of Miss Perkins against that sometimes
fortunate millionaire. His structures in
the case caused cooltesS between Bell
and the Hon. G. Wiley Wells. The
Porcupine said something the re.
verse of complimentary of Cap
tain A. Nj. Thornton, and the gentleman
does not cherish an undying love for
Major Bell. Finally Bell had little
disturbance with b. A. Stephens, in
which cane and hard words and some
blows figured. Now Stephens is as
blooded as mosquito in the early morn.
ina and in short time after the diff
cdlty with Ben he boarded the cars and
went to Indiana for the purpose, it was
supposed, of digging up the record OF
Bell in his early days. Stephens re-
turned but he was not communicative
- to the result of his trip or as to the
data which he had gathered. Time
passed and the State Encampment, G. A.
h. grew on apace. Major Bell is q
member OF this organization OF veterans,
- s.e also some OF his adversaries. Be.
fere the meeting of the Encsmpment
there WAS mailed to the delegates q
rather spicy pamphlet entitled, "The
Life Of Horace Bell" When the sol.
diers of the late war gathered here they
were given copies of this pamphlet. 1t
l. . wonderfully abusive document and
Il it Bell is accused of killing his
mother, of theft, of murder in
several instances, and nearly every
crime known to the civilized world.
The matter was brought up before the
Grand Encampment, and the report on
Il, which was favorable to Bell, was
adopted. but latter in the day it was ex.
punged from the records. 1t was noticed
that Bell took the matter very coolly for
q man who had the reputation of being
. fighter. But those who had known
him long felt that it was only lull be-
fore storm, and that soon the lightning
would strike.
Il will strike this morning in the fol.
ewing shape.
CRIMINAL LIBEL.
The following was filed with and
sworn to before Justice Taney, yesterday:
>sPeople of the State of California VS.. G..
Wiley Wells, A. NJ. Thornton and B.
A. Stephens plant criminal.
'sBefore the undersigned authority per-
sonally appeared Horace Bell, who, be.
ing duly sworn, deposes and says that
on the 23d day of February the said
defendants did commit the crime of Ii
bel; said defendants did in a private.
anonymous circular entitled "The Life
Of Horace Bell, then and there contriv.
ing. and unlawfully, wilfully. malicious.
ly Intending to injure, vilify, libel and
defame said Bell and deprive him of his
good name and fame, aud expose him to
1he hatred, contempt, etc., of his fellow.
0en, did publish and circulate false,
aesndalous, malicious and defamatory
libel to-wit, in words and figures as fol.
lows:
"'In 1852 he bummed his passage on
tho steamer Seabird, Captain Robert Ha-
10y, from San Francisco to San Pedro.
tSee "reminiscences of Ranger" He
remained in Los Angeles about four
years. He had proved decided failure
as . miner and also as gambler, and
scame to Los Angeles in the hope of be.
j ing supported by his uncle, Alexander
Bell. who was man of wealth and
honor.
"'While in Los Angeles Horace hung
out around the gambling tables of the
Bella Union hotel, an old adobe. which
atood then on North Main street, near
Commercial street, where the st. Charles
hotel now is, and acted in his old capac-
ity of cspper, about the only thing he
ever did successfully in his life. After
the games were over, he would sleep on
the tables till morning, and then beg
half dollar of the first gambler who
came around in order to get his break
fast.
"sHe became o drunken debau chee,
and frequently found his way into the
chaingang. He loved to be regarded as
q s'bad man." and would in his drunken
sprees terrorize the streets, but his pol.
icy was then as in later years--he al.
ways took care to never select victim
his equal or stronger than himself.
Sometimes, however, he has been mis-.
taken, as will be shown hereafter.
'.About this time the country was in
tested with horse thieves and cut.
throats, and the Los Angeles Rangers
(mounted) were organized. Horace
Joined them. When the company would
start out of town he was always in front,
but as soon as he struck hot trail he
would cowardly drop to the rear. His
snost notable duty while ranger, was
standing guard over the squirrels at the
graveyard of the San Gabriel Mission.
iSes "Reminiscences of Rangir.") He
~ actual service once when the Rang
sss captured poor Mexican in corn.
Aeld on East First street. The Rangers
were soon out of employment, and
Hsrace got drunk so often and was such
. perfect vagabond, that the Vigilantes
= Los Angeles included him among
~thers whom they ordered to leave
town. Horace. now thoroughly fright
.saed, begged enough money of his uncle
70 buy himself ticket on the steamer to
San francisco, and his uncle gave the
vigilantes solemn promise that Horace
should not return to Los Angeles while
h. Alexander Bell, should live, and